There's always been something incredibly romantic about traveling by train, and now there are even more reasons to do it since rail is a more environmentally friendly option that's getting faster every year. Keeping up with this green mode of transportation, futuristic high-speed rail stations are all the rage, with China leading the pack and Europe not too far behind as countries upgrade their older facilities. Even the US is getting in on the action and is currently working on renovating or building new stations. In the last 2 years we've seen some brilliant rail stations completed - click through our gallery to see our favorites!

This Grimshaw Architects-designed rail station in Newport, Wales is a spiraling futuristic facility that connects both sides of the city. Newport Station was renovated in 2010 in advance of the Ryder Cup and features energy efficient design, rainwater harvesting and an ETFE membrane on the roofs to soak up natural daylighting.

This transparent station in Liège, Belgium connects the high speed rail lines into Northern Europe. Designed by Santiago Calatrava, the Liège-Guillemins TGV Station most prominently makes use of natural daylighting and is an elegant building to serve as the gateway to a city undergoing a renewal.